


The Path of Rain

by sirladyknight



Series: Different Paths [2]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, BAMF Obi-Wan Kenobi, Don't Trust the Kaminoans, Expelled From the Jedi AU, F/M, Female Obi-Wan Kenobi, Get Wrekt Palpatine, Human Disaster Anakin Skywalker, Jedi Code, Obi-Wan Needs a Hug, Poor Obi-Wan, Protective Obi-Wan, Protective clones, The Force, Vod'e
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-27
Updated: 2018-12-20
Packaged: 2019-05-14 08:54:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 14,336
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14766461
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sirladyknight/pseuds/sirladyknight
Summary: Lost, Obi-Wan heads to the one place where she knows she'll be of use.AKA the Kamino Route.(This makes more sense if you read The Expulsion first, or if you don't want to (??) check out the summary on the series main page thingy, you know what I'm talking about.)





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Obi-Wan is too good for this world and Shaak Ti is ready to help her friend.

Obi-Wan, quite frankly, had no idea what to do. She paced the length of the ship given to her by the Council as a final parting gift. It felt paltry compared what she had given them, a small starship and a decent fund of credits in return for nearly a lifetime of loyalty and dutiful submission.

She tried to conjure anger in her heart, just to feel something other than the breathtaking sadness that encompassed her. It was no use. She envisioned in her mind’s eye the drooping green ears of her Grandmaster, the tense line of Mace’s shoulders, the dark glitter of righteous denial in Kit’s eyes, and the defeated bow of Plo’s head. They were slaves to the Code just as they were its enforcers.

Adi Gallia had pulled her aside after the fact and quietly told her, in no uncertain terms, that she would be there to help Obi-Wan should the red-haired woman ever need it. She thanked her friend but they both knew that Obi-Wan would never take her up on that offer, not at the risk of getting the other woman in trouble.

So, Obi-Wan paced what little space her ship had. It felt strange not having a home. She felt weightless, without anchor and hyperaware of the stomach churning sensation of fear that came with waiting to fall.

And she was without attachment in every sense of the word. The bonds of the Jedi had been cut off from her and with great torment she had forced herself to cut the training bond she shared with Anakin.

In the last few seconds, she had reached out to him, sending him peace and assurance. He had responded with confusion and alarm but by then it had been too late, the bond was severed.

A selfish part of her was glad she didn’t have to feel his anguish on top of her own pain.

Her hand reached automatically for her lightsaber to comfort herself before remembering she had left it in her former room at the Temple. Anakin would be the one to find it, she was sure. The others would know to leave it for him as proof of her departure. _Your lightsaber is your life_ , she had told him but that life was no longer hers.

“I’m impossible,” she complained to the empty vessel. “How can I be worried about him when I’m the one who has lost everything? _Because_ of him?”

Obi-Wan scrubbed her face and sat down at the controls, typing in a familiar set of coordinates.

She cannot help her situation, but at least she might be of some use elsewhere.

 

As the bright streams of hyperspace flowed past, Obi-Wan watched the holonews with both hands clenched.

Chancellor Sheev Palpatine was dead, killed by Count Dooku during peace negotiations. The Separatist leader had then been arrested by the Jedi High Council.

Strangely, he offered no explanation for his actions and currently his sentence was being debated by the Senate.

The cries for execution were outvoted by those who argued for lifelong imprisonment. They yielded to a less bloody sentence to appease the remaining Separatist leaders, offering an olive branch of peace to prevent the continuation of the War. Amidst this, the Senate scrambled to find a new Chancellor.

 _Oh, Anakin_ , Obi-Wan thought, face pulled taut. _Now you’ve lost two people._

Anakin would return to Coruscant to grieve the fallen Chancellor. He would demand answers from the Jedi Council for Obi-Wan’s sudden absence in the Force. They would tell him nothing as she requested, only that she had left the Order. That betrayal on top of this loss…

 _It is better that I leave now. He won’t wish to see me._ Yet Obi-Wan felt bile rise in her throat at the idea, of abandoning him in his time of need. _Padme is there, she will take care of him. They have each other, if nothing else._

Obi-Wan looked out of her ship’s viewport, watching the lights abruptly became stars once more.

She had arrived.

With the War over and an overabundance of Clone Troopers flooding the planet, Kamino wouldn’t notice one more lost soul in their ranks.

 

The hanger was busy with activity. Troopers arriving from all over the galaxy, so Obi-Wan’s arrival was only one of many.

“Obi-Wan,” Shaak Ti greeted her, striding swiftly to her friend as the cockpit door of her ship hissed open. She waited until Obi-Wan hopped out and landed lightly in front of her to speak. Her customary elegant expression of serenity was marred by sorrow. “The Council’s decision-”

Obi-Wan placed a hand on the Togruta’s shoulder. “I know, Shaak Ti, and I have already made my peace with it. Don’t worry, I bear no ill will.”

“You are truly one of a kind, Obi-Wan,” The Jedi Master watched her with equally sad and wise purple eyes. “I know that you are barred from the Temple but you are free to remain here as long as you need. I have already set up quarters for you near my own.”

Obi-Wan felt the loss of their connection in the Force as keen as blade between her ribs. It made her ache and she firmly pushed that hurt aside to meditate on later. “Are you sure? I am no longer part of the Order. I’m not entirely certain what my expulsion entails but if this somehow goes against the ruling, I do not wish to place you in an awkward position.”

Shaak Ti stepped closer and leaned in to embrace her friend, a rare act both for a Jedi and the Togruta woman. “You may no longer be Jedi in name but you are still one of us in spirit.”

Obi-Wan hesitated then clung to her friend and buried her face in the other’s warm robes. “Thank you.”

They separated with small smiles lingering on their faces.

“Come, let me show you to your rooms. You have been here before but perhaps a tour to refresh your memory?” Shaak Ti waved her companion forward.

Obi-Wan did as she bid, pretending her body didn’t tremble with gratitude. “Of course, I would like nothing more.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Obi-Wan may be sad but at least Palpatine finally got his. Silver linings and all that. (All the Jedi are like, WHY do I feel so much lighter now that the Chancellor is dead?????)
> 
> Also, did I ever mention how much I love Shaak Ti? Because, I do. Why can't you let me have anything nice, Anakin.
> 
> Quick Question: I intend for each Path to have a different pairing, what should be the pairing for this one? Codywan, Rexobi, or a rare pair of one of the clones? I'm open to suggestion.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's starting to get real, y'all. 
> 
> Obi-Wan is an unreliable narrator, so what she thinks, feels, and perceives doesn’t necessarily mean they are accurate or true. Just in case you’re wondering why she’s still so concerned with Anakin when she should be furious with him. Or when she feels like it’s her fault that Anakin is the way he is. Or why she's not acknowledging her own problems.
> 
> Also, some plot tweaking. You'll know.

The Kaminoans were no match for the combined force of Shaak Ti and Obi-Wan Kenobi, famed Negotiator. The long necked scientists’ initial plan of euthanizing permanently injured or disabled Troopers was swiftly and brutally vetoed, along with any other attempts to cut down the influx of vod'e returning to their home world.

The Republic would have had the Clone Troopers stay in their respective bases, but the Separatist factions feared the power and leverage that would entail. They had decommissioned the production of droids and the Republic had followed suit as per their peace agreement. There would be no more clone creation.

The cruel irony of the War ending meant that the remaining vod'e had no place to go except Kamino and no purpose to serve. All the jobs they had occupied were either presently unnecessary or being transferred over to the local governments. For the public at large, to see a clone was becoming an unwanted reminder of darker times. The brothers, while unhappy at their sudden uselessness, were relieved to return to a planet where their presence didn’t inspire animosity.

 

Obi-Wan watched the landing of ship after ship full of Troopers. All the injured men had been the first transferred and the med bays were overwhelmed with the sheer number of patients, even with the added help of medic vod'e.

She and Shaak Ti were stationed at a console mainframe overlooking the hanger, trying to find rooms or at the very least some space for each man to reside in until the additional buildings meant for lodging could be completed. It would only take a few more days but they needed somewhere to sleep in the meantime.

“I don’t think I ever realized quite how many of them there are,” Obi-Wan thought aloud, watching with a weary smile as a brother greeted another brother from a different battalion.

“Yes, it is humbling to consider all these lives are under our- my care,” The Togruta continued on with an apologetic look that Obi-Wan waved away. Jedi or not, she would help them. “I would like to thank you for your help with negotiations. It is quite fortuitous that you chose to join us. I have been dealing with the Kaminoans for a while but they still manage to find ways to bypass even my simplest commands.”

“What worries me is that the Kaminoans truly do not consider these men sentient beings, but rather tools,” the red-haired woman replied and after a moment’s consideration stood up from the computer console. “I’m going to aid the vod'e who need immediate attention in medical. There aren’t enough hover-stretchers to transfer them.”

Shaak Ti nodded, tapping dutifully at her own screen. “Of course, I will continue up here.”

 

Romeo struggled to keep his breathing regular as he leaned against a stack of crates, hidden in the shadow of a transporter ship. Grimacing at the sensation of his broken ribs and fractured ankle, he observed his surroundings to distract himself before giving up and closing his eyes. The medics hadn’t gotten to him yet but they were busy with brothers bleeding out or unconscious. It hurt but he could wait.

“Hello there.”

He looked up and froze.

“Ge-General Kenobi! Sir, what are you doing here?!”

The Jedi raised an auburn eyebrow. “Forgive me for intruding. I thought I might be of some assistance.”

Romeo paled as he acknowledged his discourtesy. “Sorry, Sir! I didn’t- You surprised me, is all.”

“It’s quite alright. I’m merely teasing you. And the War is over, my friend; you may call me Obi-Wan if you’d like.” Somehow she managed to convey mirth with just her eyes and Romeo very much wanted to know what her real laughter sounded like.

There was a beat of silence as she stared at him expectantly.

“Oh! My name is Romeo, Sir,” he hurried to say, feeling flushed. Call a High General by her first name? Yeah, right, if the other vod'e found out he’d be mopping floors for a month solid.

Obi-Wan hid a chuckle behind her hand before reaching out to shake his. “Very pleased to make your acquaintance, Romeo, now let’s see about getting you to med bay, hm?”

He shook his head hard enough to jolt his ribs, speaking his next words between tight gasps. “It’s fine, Sir, there are others who are a higher priority than me. I’m just a security guard.”

With a scoff, she hoisted him to his feet, taking care not to jostle him too much. “Nonsense, your pain is just as important as any others, Romeo. Tell me, how did you come to acquire such an interesting name?”

His bucket in one hand and his arm slung around her shoulders, they slowly began to make their way through the hanger as he began to recount how he got his name. It soon became a struggle to talk as his agony doubled, then tripled at his movement.  

Obi-Wan frowned and he opened his mouth to apologize but ended up yelping as she picked him up in a bridal carry.

“There we are, much better. As you were saying?”

“S-sir! This is unnecessary!” Romeo flailed a bit, but stopped as she steadily began to move forward. He clutched his bucket to his chest, wishing he had put it on as other brothers stopped what they were doing to stare. Some outraged, some jealous, but most wide-eyed in shock.

“Come now, you’ve piqued my curiosity. Please, continue with your story,” Obi-Wan requested, her arms firm in their hold and who was he to deny a General?

"I was stationed on…”

 

“ _Un_ believable, why is it always Romeo? And with General Kenobi, of all people!” Rust shook his head in envious disgust, watching as his romantically gifted batchmate was carried off by a good-looking Jedi.

See-Through, another batchmate, just shrugged, tightening the bandage around his wrist. “Some brothers have all the luck.”

 

“I see, and that’s why your helmet is covered in kiss marks?” There was a smile in her voice even if Romeo couldn’t bring himself to face her.

They were in the med bay, _finally_. The General had passed by a group of vod'e from the 212 th but hadn’t stopped other than to say a brief hello and a promise to catch up later.

If looks could kill, he’d be a dead man. Those brothers were infamously protective of their General, especially Commander Cody. Any disrespect regarding Kenobi was dealt with very firmly. When the scarred vod had seen him in the arms of his Jedi, his jaw had clenched hard enough that Romeo saw a muscle jump. He made a mental note to avoid any physical connect with the copper-headed woman from now on.

He glanced at her from his reclined position on the durasteel examination table and saw her peering at his medical readings with genuine concern.

Well, maybe just when the 212th were around.

 

Obi-Wan left Romeo after making sure a medic had checked him over. If she hadn’t stay, she suspected he would have moved to the hallway to allow another vod to take his place.

 _A good man, if perhaps a little reckless with his own health_ , she thought, her mind drifting to another who had those same attributes. Someone with curling blond hair and a wild grin that made her fret with concern and fondness.  

“Sir!”

She jerked out of her musings to find Rex and two others from the 501st approaching down the hall, a hover-stretcher between them. “Oh, hello, gentlemen. I didn’t expect to see you here so soon.”

“We were already on our way. There was… an incident with a Trooper.” Rex shifted uneasily and behind him Fives scowled. “He almost killed a Jedi.”

Obi-Wan stopped herself from reacting, boxing in her alarm behind her shields before Shaak Ti could feel it and investigate. Bonded or not, the Force was open to all. “I’m sorry to hear that. Was the Trooper compromised by the Separatists?”

Rex ran a hand over his blond hair. “We don’t know, Sir. It was just before the end of the War was announced, so it’s unclear why they would choose then to act.”

Obi-Wan crossed her arms over her chest and stroked her chin. “I see. I will speak with Shaak Ti, please bring the Trooper to a secure room and I’ll send a medic over to have him tested.”

Clones were trained not to show emotion through body language but living alongside someone like Anakin has an osmosis affect and Obi-Wan knew all of Anakin’s verbal ques. That’s how she could tell Rex, Fives, as well as the other Trooper were reassured at her calm reaction to such grim news.

She knew her composed counterpoint to Anakin’s ferocity made them the perfect Team. Her eyes burned at the thought and she focused on the man strapped to the hover-stretcher. Furrowing her brows, she recalled his name, “Tup.”

Fives perked up at her recognition. “Yes, Sir. You know him?”

Obi-Wan’s lips twisted into a sad smile. “He was with Ana- with a group of brothers on a protection detail for a political conference I was attending. We talked about fauna native to Mandalore and plant care. I know it's not much, but from what I felt I don’t think that he is capable of treachery like this. Not without outside interference.”

The relief on Fives’ face made Obi-Wan feel as if she’d said the right thing.

Rex nodded as well, meeting her gaze significantly. “Sir, I don’t know if you’ve heard, but there were rumors that you were dead or that you had-” His expression scrunched with revulsion as if he couldn’t believe the words he spoke, “abandoned the Republic. You haven’t been seen publicly on Coruscant since the War ended.”

Obi-Wan breathed deeply to center herself. “I didn’t abandon the Republic and I’m obviously not dead. In actuality, I was…” She struggled not let her voice shake, feeling ridiculous for this surge of emotion. “I was expelled from the Jedi Order.”

There was an outraged silence before Rex spoke, with a slow intensity, “Sir, that can’t be true.”

Obi-Wan shrugged. “It is what it is. I’ve resolved to do my best to help with what I can regardless.”

“Sir,” the other Trooper muttered, sounding horrified. _Jesse_ , she acknowledged at last.

Fives clenched his hands around his bucket, his anger vibrating in the Force around him. “But, you’re _the_ Jedi. General Skywalker is great, but you’re the example everyone thinks of…”

She inclined her head, not meeting their eyes. “That’s kind of you to say. Don’t worry about me, gentlemen; I’ve accepted the Council’s ruling. There’s nothing more to be done besides move on,” she said, stepping aside so they could pass with the hover-stretcher. “You should hurry, Tup is looking a bit feverish.”

They looked as if they wanted to say more but her warning and a groan from their unconscious brother had them moving. From the set of their shoulders, she had the feeling their discussion was not over. She felt exhausted at the thought.

After they had gone, she contacted Shaak Ti to join her for Tup’s examination.

Obi-Wan tapped her chin, ignoring her own problems for the time being. _I have a bad feeling about this._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Romeo is a Clone OC that I thought up a while back but never wrote about. For some reason, female sentients are charmed by him. He’s not even purposefully trying to attract them, it just happens. The name was coined from Space Shakespeare. (Or should I say Spacespeare? Badumtish.) Now he's got a crush on Obi-Wan, aw. Well kid, get in line. There's a club and everything.
> 
> I think I got, what? Three pairings already set up? Cody, Rex, and Fives to START. (Reverse harems are a beautiful thing, my dudes.)
> 
> Actual Disney Prince(ss) Obi-Wan Kenobi, carrying blushing vod'e in her arms. What a stud.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Obi-Wan doesn’t have Anakin to worry over anymore so she’s transferring that nuclear-power-plant level of energy to protecting the clones. Haha, this is me projecting my sadness about about how the clone wars really end :) :) :) :)

_Sometimes I really hate being right_ , Obi-Wan thought, pushing Tup’s shoulders back onto the durasteel examination table as he strained against his restraints to attack Shaak Ti.

The man had woken up from his tests and immediately reacted.

The Togruta Master took a single step back when faced with the clone’s savagery. Obi-Wan didn’t blame her, the emotions from the Trooper echoed piercingly in the Force of primal rage and animosity. It made her head ache to be so close to the source.

“Tup. Tup, please, calm yourself, it’s just Master Shaak Ti,” Obi-Wan tried to reason, positioning herself in front of him. “You know her, Tup. Don’t you recognize her?”

“Kill the Jedi, kill the Jedi, good soldiers follow orders, kill the Jedi…” Tup slumped back, eyes rolling in his head. He continued to mumble, twitching at random but no longer struggling now that the only Jedi in the room was no longer in view.

Obi-Wan took mercy on him and packed her next words with Force suggestion, “You are going to sleep now.”

He was out like a light.

A pregnant hush filled the air and Obi-Wan was glad that they were the only two in the examination room that had heard his crazed mutterings.

The vod'e who had brought him in were watching through the large observation in the next room, but Shaak Ti had turned off the sound during Tup’s medical evaluation. The man had screamed and writhed under the painful administration of Nala Se’s hyper tests, noises that no brother should hear.

Both women were pushed out of their thoughts by the sound of pounding on the observation window.

Fives lowered his hand, standing alongside Rex and Jesse who looked alarmed at Tup’s attack and subsequent unconsciousness.

Obi-Wan signaled that everything was fine. Tup was asleep, not dead. No much of a consolation considering they didn’t know what was truly wrong with him yet, but it settled the vod'e down. Fives held her composed gaze for a few beats then nodded tightly, Rex’s hand on his shoulder.

They trusted her.

 _I hope I’m worthy of that confidence_. Obi-Wan placed a cool hand on Tup’s feverish temple, lingering on the distinctive tear tattoo below his right eye. _I don’t want to fail anyone else._

“This is… most unusual,” Shaak Ti commented, blinking at Obi-Wan who straightened with an equally perplexed expression. “I understand that Tup attacked Master Tiplar, but I did not think it was a wide spread malevolence. A virus should not be so precise.”

The Kaminoan doctor had summarized that the hostility must be the result of a virus picked up on Ringo Vinda. They had asked for privacy to check Tup over with the Force, to be sure, and the scientist had left with a stiff bow. Obi-Wan had thought perhaps she had been insulted to be second guessed but now…

Obi-Wan stroked her chin, puzzling over a small piece of information she had gathered. “How does he know that I’m no longer a Jedi? I mentioned it early, but he was unconscious. What sort of virus allows this type of specificity? I’m beginning to doubt whether this is truly the result of a disease.”

Shaak Ti shook her head, her lekku swaying. “I am unsure as well, but we should have the others who were on that planet examined to be certain.”

Obi-Wan angled herself away from the view of the Troopers to speak her next words so they couldn’t read her lips. “I have a feeling there is more to this, my friend. There is… a disturbance in the Force. I have felt it since I landed here.”

This time the Togruta Jedi placed her hand on Tup’s forehead, a grave frown upon her face. “As have I.”

 

“Relax, Fives. General Kenobi and Shaak Ti know what they’re doing,” Rex assured as they observed the two Jedi speak inaudibly. Correction, one Jedi and one former Jedi. He almost scoffed in disgust. How the Order could turn out one of their own was beyond him, but he was just a simple soldier. It wasn’t his place to question their will.

He gripped the frame of the window before turning to face his brothers.

That didn’t mean he had to like it.

“I know, I know,” Fives breathed out, leaning back heavily against the durasteel table. It was the mirror image of the one Tup was currently strapped to. “They wouldn’t let anything happen on their watch, but Tup is… I can’t lose another brother.”

The memory of Echo was clear in the trio’s heads.

Jesse shared the solemn silence before nudging his vod, “Hey, we’ve got the best doctors in the galaxy here. If they made us, they can fix us.”

Fives scrubbed his face with his hands, his voice low. “It’s the doctors that I’m worried about.”

 

Shaak Ti waited until the door to her quarters shut completely before comm-ing the Jedi Council. Obi-Wan had politely declined being present during her report and the Togruta kindly did not mention the howling loneliness suffusing the air. She couldn’t imagine not being connected to her fellow Jedi, feeling their presence in the Force brought her comfort more times than she cared to count. Obi-Wan could no longer feel that. She was spiritually adrift in the universe.

After reaching out and squeezing her human friend’s hand, Shaak Ti watched her leave to give the vod'e the news.

“Master Shaak Ti.”

“Master Windu, Council members,” she greeted, bowing. “I’ve a report from Kamino. It appears that a Trooper attacked Master Tiplar.”

Mace’s blue figure wavered before solidifying. “We are aware. She and her sister reported this earlier.”

Shaak Ti nodded. “Yes, but we suspect that there is a possibility of more than a virus at work. I request permission to do a full examination of Trooper Tup as well as the others who were on the planet at the time. There is a disturbance here, in the Force. It does not bode well.”

“We?” Master Plo Koon questioned, tilting his head curiously.

The Togruta Jedi paused, regretting her slip up. “Currently residing on Kamino is Obi-Wan Kenobi, I requested her opinion.”

An uncomfortable pause along with some awkward shuffling had Shaak Ti feeling justified. She wasn’t the only one who did not like the decision. A vindictive part of her was pleased to watch them struggle under their remorse. They didn’t have to feel Obi-Wan’s anguish as she did.

“Obi-Wan is with you?” Kit asked, leaning forward with a bright smile. "She is safe?"

Plo straightened in his chair. “Is she alright?”

“Is she… adjusting?” Adi Gallia added, sharing a concerned look with Mace.  

“Yes, Masters, I believe she is managing.” Shaak Ti folded her hands into her robes, not wanting to delve into her friend’s personal affairs without her permission. “What is the Council’s decision for the Troopers? I strongly suggest we investigate further.”

There was a brief deliberation before a consensus was reached and Yoda spoke at last, “Permission, we give. Look into this, you must.”

She bowed again. “Thank you, Master Yoda.”

His ears lifted marginally. “Give Obi-Wan our regards, you will?”

“Of course.” Shaak Ti inclined her head. “…and Knight Skywalker?”

Whatever worry was on Mace’s face vanished. “He is reacting as expected.”

 _Not well then_ , Shaak Ti thought and said, “He still does not know?”

“Knight Skywalker refuses to accept that Obi-Wan willingly left without saying goodbye. Since he cannot feel her presence in the Force, he has assumed that she is purposefully hidden from him,” Ki-Adi-Mundi informed her, steepling his hands. “We have kept our promise not to tell him the truth, but he is… reluctant to accept our silence.”

“The death of the Chancellor has proven a most unfortunately fortunate distraction,” Mace continued serenely. Shaak Ti was aware that the Korun had no love for Sheev Palpatine so his dispassion did not surprise her. She, on the other hand, had respected the now departed Chancellor but even the most powerful men must die.

“However, the issue will return when Skywalker is done… grieving, as it were.” Mace clearly did not approve of such un-Jedi-like behavior but Obi-Wan’s sacrifice had given them all the push to educate the young Knight. Whether he wanted it or not.

Shaak Ti raised a white brow. “And then?”

“A single problem at a time, we must face,” Yoda rejoined, tapping his gimer stick. “Report to us when the medical evaluations, you have, Master Shaak Ti.”

“Of course, Master.”

 

Obi-Wan got through her explanation to the vod'e waiting in the other room without a hitch. They didn’t have a clue that underneath her placid demeanor, she was wailing despair into the Force.  

 _One reminder of my life as a Jedi and I fall to pieces_ , Obi-Wan mentally derided as she started for her quarters, _I am pathetic._

Something landed on her shoulder and she whipped her head around to gawk at it.

“Ah, sorry, sir. You didn’t hear me when I said your name,” Fives stated sheepishly, removing his hand. It was just them in the middle of the hallway, the other vod'e had left to begin their examinations and spread the word to rest of the brothers from the Ringo Vinda excursion.

Obi-Wan lifted her own hand to her temple. “No, I’m sorry. I was… Nevermind. What can I help you with, Fives?”

The Trooper drummed a rhythm on the helmet at his side. “Sir, I know it’s not my place to ask but- Are you okay?”

Alarmingly, her first response was to tell him the truth: No, she was most definitely not. But, of course, she couldn’t burden him with that knowledge so she smiled. “I am quite well, no need to worry.”

“You’re lying.”

Obi-Wan’s eyes fluttered as she stiffened. “I… beg your pardon?”

Fives jaw set and he glared at her. “You’re not okay. General Skywalker told me that he could always tell when you were lying because you’d smile with your mouth instead of your eyes. Sir, you’re not okay.”

She cringed minutely at the mention of her former Padawan.

Fives searched her face, glowering in confusion. “What- What is that? Is it because I mentioned General Skywalker?” He flexed his free hand. “Sir, please, you can talk to me.”

Obi-Wan willed her appearance into a blank mask as her insides began to shake with fear. _They can’t know. They can’t know it was because of him. They’ll hate him._

“I can assure, it has nothing to do with him,” she stated, meeting his frustrated gaze with her own empty one before dropping it to the floor. “Thank you for your concern, but I’m perfectly fine. Please, excuse me.”

She slipped past him and hurried down the hall, refusing to look at his wounded expression.

 _I’m sorry, Fives._ Obi-Wan wanted to hide in her rooms until this guilt faded away. _But you love him too._

Obi-Wan dodged as many vod'e as possible on the way to her quarters. It hurt to avoid her 212th but they knew their Jedi ( _former_ Jedi) too well. They would spot her distress a mile away and she couldn’t bear to lie to another brother.

In the safety of her dim quarters, away from the blinding lights of the Kaminoan hallways, she gasped into her hands. _I miss Anakin._ It felt like a punch to the gut to even think his name. _It’s so_ stupid _but I miss him._

After allowing herself the luxury of sorrow for a few more moments, she sniffed and straightened.

There was a call she needed to make.

Reaching into her robes, Obi-Wan pulled out her comm. (Why did she insist on wearing layer after layer of Jedi clothing? It only served as a reminder of what she had lost.)

A cheerful voice punctured the dark of the room. “Obi-Wan! It’s so good to hear from you, I’ve been worried sick! There were rumors that you had died…” Bail Organa gave her a fretful once-over.

“Apologies, my old friend, I didn’t mean to alarm you.” The red-haired woman felt her lips curve into a smile as joy filled her heart at the sight of him. “Tell me, is it true what I heard on the holonet? Are you really going to try for the position of Chancellor?”

Bail pursed his lips. “Don’t think you’re getting out of an explanation, Kenobi. But to answer your question, yes. While I don’t think any single being should have that much power, if I were to get that position I can make some important changes.”

She ducked her head with a chuckle. “I doubt even I could outmaneuver you when it comes to political wordplay, Bail. I will explain as best I can, but first there is a proposition I would like to talk to you about concerning the lives of thousands of innocents.”

The Senator from Alderaan composed himself into his governmental mindset. “Who are they and what can I do to help?”

Obi-Wan squared her shoulders and spoke evenly, “The men who fought for a Republic that keeps them enslaved, you can help them get the rights they deserve.”

Bail beamed, brushing a hand over his facial hair. “I should have known. You always were a freedom fighter, Obi-Wan. Fortunately, I already have a plan in mind...”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was going to do Codywan and WolffeObi parts but Fives came barreling in out of nowhere, aggressively caring about Obi-Wan's feelings. There's also a pinch of RexObi. 
> 
> More Jedi Council ayyy. Man, I love those guys. Mace never liked Palpatine and that's the only canon I'll accept. 
> 
> Obi-Wan is Master at Avoiding Her Own Issues By Helping Others. (MAHOIBHO, for short) She just loves Anakin so much that she can't even be mad at him so she's just really, really, super sad all the time now. She really misses her family. (Sigh. And Anakin.)
> 
> A little hint about the chips, the Jedi (Shaak Ti and Obi-Wan, who will always a be a Jedi in my mind) keep touching their forehead or Tup's forehead because the Force is literally like it's RIGHT THERE LOOK.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Chips Are Discovered, Shaak Ti and Obi-Wan tag-team Nala Se, and Rex helps Obi-Wan deal with some of her emotional problems. 
> 
> (And my boy Romeo makes another appearance.)

The chips displayed on the screen were more than the so-called organic inhibitors Nala Se had defined.

 _Aggression checks_ , Obi-Wan thought with a mental snort. _They insert mind control devices and claim to only use them to keep the Troopers docile?_ _Does she take us for fools?_

Shaak Ti’s purple eyes met her’s over the unconscious form of the Trooper Tup, the man’s head covered with a sealing device from where the chip had been extracted from his brain. Fives was nursing the same wound in the opposing room, accompanied by a curious and talkative droid.

“I believe we have found the cause of the disturbance, Obi-Wan.”

“Yes,” the ex-Jedi agreed, cutting an icy look at the long-necked scientist. “I do believe so.”

“Virus or no virus, the fact a Trooper was forced to attack a Jedi, the people they were sworn to protect and serve, is alarming. You must understand how this can be viewed as a potential threat?” Shaak Ti circled the table to stand in front of the Kaminoan. “What explanation can you offer?”

Nala Se shifted, caught in the bright intent stares of the two other females. “The fact that the chips could be used as a weapon is not the responsibility of the Kaminoans. We fulfilled the specified orders and that is the extent of our obligation.”

“The order commissioned by Jedi Master Sifo-Dyas, who died mysteriously and who the Council had removed from their ranks because of his rather alarming views.” Obi-Wan tucked her hands into her sleeves, pursing her lips as she reflected.

Shaak Ti’s soundless steps brought her back to her companion’s side, speaking as she did so, “That man acted without consent of the Council. As precious as the lives of the Troopers are, cloning is not something the Jedi condone.”

Drawing herself up to her full height, the towering sentient replied in a floating, placid voice, “What relationship Sifo-Dyas had with the Jedi is no concern of ours. We simply followed his orders.”

Obi-Wan’s smile was small and miserable. “A great many terrible things have been done in the name of simply following orders.”

 

They were left alone in examination suite yet again with Tup, this time without an audience.

Obi-Wan rested against the cold wall, pinching the bridge of her nose to stave off a growing headache. “What bothers me the most is that something as significant as this chip had been implanted in the Troopers without the Jedi’s knowledge, as if the Kaminoans didn’t care to share that tidbit of information. I shudder to think what would happen if there was a large scale malfunction, or if the Separatists had found a way to access this reaction and trigger it.”

Obi-Wan felt apprehension spike in the Force that matched her own and watched as Shaak Ti placed her hand over Tup’s heart, feeling the steady beat of his chest. The redhead added, “It would be wise to remove the chips as soon as possible, if only to prevent the likelihood of this happening again. The men are no longer needed in active duty and I believe the vod’e can be trusted to act civilized without any intervention.”

“Yes, perhaps it would be for the best,” Shaak Ti agreed. The line of her shoulders was taut. “If Fives had not insisted, if the medic droid, AZ-3, had not performed the surgeries…”

“We might never have known,” Obi-Wan finished grimly. She wondered just how far removed the Jedi had become not to notice a potential plot brewing right in front of them. _Proud fools and I was one of the proudest. Perhaps this expulsion is my penance?_

“A medic Trooper should be present for the removal of the all the clone’s chips, to make sure none of the evidence gets misplaced,” Shaak Ti suggested, sharing a knowing look with Obi-Wan.

“I’ll call in the first round of vod’e.”

 

“You’re avoiding them.”

Obi-Wan tucked her hands into her robe sleeves and met Rex’s neutral stare. He was one of the first Troopers to have their chip removed; they had started with volunteers and now had to organize it by rank and battalion. The Kaminoans had put up a token fight before submitting, as if the outcome no longer mattered. With the War over, Obi-Wan suspected it truly didn’t.

“Avoiding who?” She asked coolly, closing the hologram she had up. They were in the Kaminoan's library, one of her favorite spots to avoid her problems.

The blond vod broke scoffed, adjusting his helmet against his hip. “You’re not fooling me with that act, General. You know who.”

She did. The 212th Attack Battalion, her men. She was ignoring their worried comms and skirting their guard rotations. Obi-Wan had hidden from Cody at minimum a dozen times, the scarred vod seeming to _know_ where she’d be and would lay in wait for her. It was only by use of the Force that she had evaded him.

“I’ve meant to talk to them, Rex, I have. It’s just difficult-” Obi-Wan cut herself off to rake a hand over her hair, mussing her simple braid. “I’m not-”

“You have nothing to be ashamed of, Obi-Wan. It’s the Jedi’s loss and our gain,” Rex grunted, steel entering his spine and a blush dusting his cheeks as he used her first name. She could tell it cost him a great deal to speak it so casually. “They won’t think less of you for something like that. They love you.”

Obi-Wan had to bite the inside of her cheeks to hold in a whimper but the blond appeared to know nevertheless as his expression softened. “We know how much it means to be a Jedi, what you have to sacrifice to become one. They were your family and they shut you out. We get that and… we’re here for you, if you need us.”

“Thank you,” her voice was rough and she couldn’t meet his eyes as she fiddled with the collar of her robe before smoothing it down. “That’s very kind of you, of all of you.”

“You would do the same for us,” he replied with a shrug.

“Without question,” she swore. Then clenched the edges of her sleeves with her hands. “I don’t want to bother you, but could you… join me when I- I speak to them?”

Rex threw back his shoulders and straightened. “It would be my honor.”

 

Romeo squinted in the brightness of the hallways. He’d forgotten how hard all the light was on his eyes. As a night guard on Coruscant, he rarely saw the city during the day and the neon glow of the nightlife was never quite so blindingly  _white_.

He let his helmet fall back against the wall as he waited in front of the medical room, alone. His entire squad had already been through the surgical procedure to remove the inhibitor chips the Jedi had discovered. Because of his injuries, he’d been one of the last to be operated on. Something about his medication not suiting brain surgery blah blah blah, he’d lost interest halfway through the Kaminoan’s explanation. After spending time with fast talking city dwellers, he’d also forgotten how long it took for the long-necks to say something.

As for the chip, like all of his brothers, once he’d become aware of its presence and purpose he was eager to have it gone. The idea of not being in control of their bodies was more than a little disturbing. Sure, they were clones and soldiers but they were still their own people with their own ways of doing things. To have even that taken away was… horrifying.

He sighed and scanned the empty hallway out of habit, jerking upright from his leaning position when he spotted two forms approaching from his right.  

“General Kenobi,” he greeted, trying for composed as his heart thumped erratically. “Captain Rex.”

“Romeo,” Obi-Wan replied, halting once she’d reached him. She blinked curiously. “What are you doing out here by yourself?”

Quite frankly, he was startled she had even remembered his name, let alone asked about his well-being. “I’m waiting to have my chip removed, Sir. The droid said my medication had to wear off before I could have the surgery done.”

“Ah, yes, the painkillers for your broken ribs and fractured ankle,” she recalled before offering him a teasing smirk. “I’m glad to see they’ve healed. Now you can entrance more ladies into decorating your helmet.”

Thank the Maker he’d kept his bucket on, his face felt like it was on fire. “Yes, Sir. Thank you, Sir.”

“We talked about this.” She chided. “It’s just Obi-Wan.”

Captain Rex had been silently watching the exchange with an amused air but now he turned his head sharply to Romeo, daring him to take such friendly liberties.

Romeo laughed nervously, “Uh, sure, Sir.”

Obi-Wan, sensing the atmosphere, considered her next move with raised eyebrows. “Very well, how about Kenobi?”

There was a period of contemplation before Rex nodded solemnly, just behind her and out of her line of sight, and Romeo slumped in relief, permission granted. “Kenobi. Yes, Sir. I can do that.”

“Good, I’m trying to convince the rest of the vod’e that they can speak to me less formally, but it’s not quite working,” she explained with a sheepish tilt of her head.

“I can’t imagine why, Sir,” Romeo said, very seriously as he avoided Rex’s hard stare. He was toeing the line but the General was too fun not to trade quips with. “Perhaps if you ate in the mess or lodged with the vod’e, they’d start seeing you as just another brother.”

“Trooper.” Rex warned rigidly.

Obi-Wan’s blue eyes sparkled. “That’s not a bad idea, Romeo. I’ve taken to eating in my rooms but the mess sounds exciting in comparison. As for the lodging, I’m afraid the bunks are already overcrowded.”

Rex’s shoulders relaxed and Romeo nearly pouted in disappointment. He’d gladly be her bunkmate.

Obi-Wan’s face light up. “However, I do have plenty of space in my quarters; I should invite some vod’e to stay with me.”

Rex nearly lost hold of his bucket as he breathed out in scandalized terror, “ _General, no._ ”

Romeo felt as if his Nameday had come early. “Sir, I’d like to be the first to volunteer.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Romeo is the either the luckiest or unluckiest vod in the entire universe, the vod'e will tell. Rex is going to have a heartattack from stress and he survived Anakin AND Ahsoka. Cody is already feeling phantom chest pains and he's not even THERE.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's getting tense again. The fallout of Obi-Wan leaving is a lot more than she or the Jedi Council anticipated.
> 
> (As for those who are still confused about why the Council, who love Obi-Wan, expelled her. Let's just say that now that Palpatine's dead, they're not quite sure WHY they agreed to his suggestion in the first place. The Force is no longer clouded as it was and the Sith's influence is gone, mostly...)

Anakin dropped soundlessly from the red-hot hole in the ceiling to land in front of the shackled Sith Lord, his lightsaber drawn. Yan Dooku watched him straighten slowly, unimpressed for all the other’s ominous, looming aura. The neon blue of his lit weapon cast dancing shadows around the dark cell as he stood in front of the kneeling prisoner.

“Skywalker, so you’ve come at last,” the Count of Serenno drawled in a deep, aristocratic tone, his yellow eyes searching behind him. “Where is the more articulate member of your so called Team? I’d prefer our chat to be simulating at the very least.”

Leather creaked as Anakin clenched his fists, snarling, “As if you don’t know. First you kill my friend, the Chancellor, and then you take my Master? I’d cut you down right now if I didn’t need answers.” He let his lightsaber drag along the floor, sending sparks into the air as he stalked back and forth in front of the Count. “To think the Council could be fooled by a ploy of yours, as if Obi-Wan would _ever_ leave the Order willingly.”

Raising a silver eyebrow, Dooku responded, “Obi-Wan has truly left the Order then? I cannot say that I am surprised.”

“Stop acting!” Anakin shouted, his entire body trembling. “Where is she?!”

With a beleaguered sigh, the Count appraised Anakin. “To think my former Master had such high hopes for you. No, Skywalker, I am not acting. I truly do not know where my Grand Padawan has fled to.”

Shaking his head, Anakin took in his words and hated that he sensed truth in them. “Master? Stop trying to distract me! What do you mean she fled?”

“You said the Jedi Council reported of Obi-Wan’s willing departure, did you not? She has fled then.” The Sith shifted as much as his forced kneeling position would allow. His hands gestured from their cuffed imprisonment. “Or, I do wonder, if they gave her a choice in the matter?”

“I don’t understand…” The younger man raked his fingers through his disheveled hair, his glaring eyes bordering on deranged.

Dooku was abruptly aware that no alarms had been set off despite his cell being one of the most heavily protected on Coruscant. There was no sound of pounding feet or shouts signaling the arrival of guards. He was apparently very alone with Anakin Skywalker, the one in whom Sidious saw a great deal of potential for the Darkside.

A powerful young Jedi teetering on the balance of light and dark who was currently overcome with negative emotion.

He picked his next words cautiously, “I could help you find her, but I suspect she does not wish to be found.”

Anakin assessed him in return, his lit ‘saber at his side. “Not that I would ever trust your word, murderer, but why do you say that?”

The Count’s smirk was unkind. “Have you ever known Obi-Wan Kenobi to walk away from her duty?”

“No.” He spat out. “Never.”

“Then she no longer considers you or the Jedi Order as part of her duty. If anything, I’d say this was a step towards your independence. A Master must leave their Padawan eventually. You are fortunate that you are not a Sith, you two would have had to fight to the death.”

The hum and glow of Anakin’s lightsaber filled the Count’s senses, hovering close enough to his neck to singe his beard.

“I said I want answers, Dooku,” Anakin said coldly. “And you are going to give them to me. Now.”

 

Padme gazed out into the Coruscant cityscape, a worried wrinkle on her forehead. “I hope Anakin doesn’t do anything rash.”

She turned to Bail, who stood by her side at the window and explained, “He is so upset with Obi-Wan for leaving that I think he’s almost forgotten about the Chancellor. It grieved him to lose such a close friend but when he heard of his Master deserting the Order...”

Padme took in an unsteady breath, pressing her fingers to her eyes. “And now the Jedi Council refuses to let him interrogate Count Dooku and they have yet to explain why Obi-Wan has chosen to leave now of all times.”

Bail clasped his hands behind his back. “I’m sure the Jedi know what they’re doing, Padme. We just have to place our faith in them for the time being. If Obi-Wan wanted them to disclose her reasoning then they would have.”

Padme looked askance at him. “You know something. What is it?”

“I’ve spoken to Obi-Wan,” he admitted.

Her mouth dropping open, the Senator rounded on her long-time friend. “Is she alright? Where is she? Did she tell you why she left? What _happened_?”

“Obi-Wan wouldn’t say why, but she is safe and she did leave by choice. That’s all she wanted me to tell you,” Bail said, fixing his ceremonial robes.

“I have to tell Anakin,” Padme clarified with a firm hand on his arm.

He nodded. “We know. That’s why she told me to speak to you. Just break the news gently, won’t you? I do not want Anakin doing anything reckless either.”

“Thank you, Bail.”

“Yes, yes,” he dismissed her appreciation with a warm smile. “Let’s go finish this blasted coronation ceremony already. If I’d know that becoming Chancellor would involve so many droll banquets I might have hesitated over taking the position.”

Padme smirked. “No, you wouldn’t have.”

“No,” Bail agreed with a laugh, “I wouldn’t have.”

 

The door hissed open behind Cody and he turned to greet who had entered only to find his elusive General and a curiously blank-faced Rex. Around the communication table he felt more than saw Commander Wolffe and Fox straighten to attention at the presence of a superior officer.

“Greetings, Commanders.” Obi-Wan lapsed into a brief, tense silence before Rex nudged her. “Cody, might I have a word with you?”

“Of course, General,” he replied automatically and felt himself follow her into an empty side room. Rex joined them. His mind was buzzing with questions, mostly her reason for avoiding the 212th and himself, but also why she had such a fearful expression. His General never showed fear, not even in the midst of heavy fire.

Obi-Wan’s blue eyes unfocused, staring through him rather than at him before they sharpened and her chin lifted. “What I have to tell you is not pleasant but I hope that you can understand that I have already come to terms with it.”

“Sir?” Cody set his helmet down on a nearby table, his hands feeling too weak from nerves to bear its weight. Next to her, Rex kept his body language cautiously neutral, but Cody knew his brother. There was an undercurrent of fury there as well.

She sighed, shifting her weight. “After all we have been through, you should at least hear this from me and I hope that you can explain this to the rest of the men as well. I… would rather not keep repeating myself.”

Obi-Wan met his gaze, a perfect mask of Jedi serenity. “I am no longer a Jedi, the Council has seen fit to expel me and that is well within their rights. I had a hand in something that I should not have allowed and I’m facing the consequences of my inaction. Nothing more, nothing less.”

It was if a bomb had detonated right next to him. He could almost feel the ringing in his ears. As his senses returned, Cody felt devastation sweep over him on her behalf, all consuming, before a durasteel wall of outrage slammed down over his sorrow.

“ _General, that’s impossible_. You’ve done NOTHING but faithfully serve the Jedi Order and the Republic. There is no way they would reward you with- with a _discharge_ ,” he spat out the word like a curse.

He turned to Rex to support his argument but his vod stared back at him with that same quiet anger.

 _So, it’s true_ , Cody thought, still not grasping the possibility of it. _They’ve turned on one of their own._

“But, Sir, what could you’ve done that they would do this to you?” Cody knew he shouldn’t ask that, that as a Trooper it wasn’t his place to demand answers from a General. But she was his friend, they had fought and bleed and laughed together as comrades. They had laid men, good men, to rest side by side and she never feigned her grief no matter how many bodies piled up.

His eyes remained on Obi-Wan but he sensed Rex’s curiosity pique as well.

Obi-Wan’s expression tightened, a look he remembered from instances where she had been tortured or heavily injured. “I can’t say, but understand it had to be this way. I... agreed to it.”

He opened his mouth but she held her hand up. “Cody, if you are my friend, please do not ask any more of me.”

For a parsec he was going to ignore her request and demand answers because friends, true friends, shared everything.

Her eyes dropped to the floor, the characteristic sarcastic mirth on her face deadened with anguish. It was as if she’d aged twenty years in a blink, the weight of the world pressing down on her shoulders. She cringed minutely away from him as if dreading a blow.

Horrified, Cody stepped away.

“I’m,” he swallowed, ashamed, “I’m sorry, General.”

“Obi-Wan,” she said, staring at her boots. “You may call me Obi-Wan now. It’s alright.”

The privilege tasted like ash in his mouth. “Thank you, Sir.”

Rex placed a hand on her shoulder and she didn’t flinch but it was near thing. “Would you like a few minutes, Sir?”

Obi-Wan breathed slowly and stood tall, no trace of distress left in her appearance. “No. Thank you, Rex, but we have more pressing matters to discuss.”

And just like that, she was his General again. Confident, collected and seemingly invulnerable, but Cody knew the truth. He’d always known the truth. That’s why he and the 212th fought so hard to protect her, because no one else would ever expect that she needed it too. For all her Jedi powers, she was human, just like them.

Cody stepped to her side, where he belonged, and began his report, “There was a communique from a nearby system, a planet in need of assistance and willing to trade supplies for labor…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did I ever mention how much I love Cody. Because I do. 
> 
> Also, Padme, my sweet summer child...


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As for the Clones, they aren't dead unless I say they're dead. Canon can eat it for all I care.
> 
> Also, there are clones Threepwood and Tracker that were with Obi-Wan and Cody for a mission but it doesn't say what if they were part of the 212th. I definitely would love to have a character named Threepwood in the 212th so hit me up if you got more info.

Commander Wolffe observed as the trio returned to the main room, Cody in particular appeared one twitch away from blasting down anyone in his path while managing to send his General worried glances every few seconds.

They went over the mission plan, deciding that General Kenobi, Wolffe and his Wolfpack, along with some of the 212th would scope out the planet first and then comm for additional support if needed. Shaak Ti was absent from the meeting, having been called to Coruscant by the Jedi Council. The Togruta Master had been in a hurry, pausing only to give command over to Obi-Wan, so the final plan was her’s to decide.

General Kenobi went over the last few details before leaving the room to prepare for the five-day journey, her Commander by her side.

Wolffe waited until they had left before rounding on Rex, who had remained behind. “Alright, what’s happened,” he demanded, “And don’t try to play dumb. You know what I’m talking about.”

Commander Fox looked up from the star-chart he was inspecting, his body language conveying interest in the conversation.

The blond vod held steady under their concentrated stares before relenting with a scowl. “I didn’t think it was my place to tell you, but if it prevents you from bothering Kenobi, fine.” He paused for a breath. “She was expelled from the Jedi Order.”

“ _What?_ ” Wolffe thundered, a hard line of outrage across his shoulders.

Fox moved around the table to stand beside him. “She was discharged by the Jedi Council? I find that extremely improbable. General Kenobi is a model example of leadership and protocol.”

The ‘unlike Skywalker’ remained unsaid but Wolffe heard it and from the way Rex tensed, so had he.

“What reason did they give for this dishonor?” Wolffe asked before the 501st Captain could call Fox out. He sincerely hoped that General Koon didn’t have a hand in the dismissal.

Rex barked out a laugh and crossed his arms. “I’m in the dark just as much as you are. She mentioned something about allowing an illegal act and having to answer for it. She left willingly, but I can’t imagine why she would unless it was to protect someone.”

“From what I’ve known of General Kenobi, she is a strict abider to the rules of the Jedi. It must be this a secondary source that provoked the Jedi Council’s decision,” Fox deduced slowly, his brows furrowing. “In other words, she didn’t in fact do what caused her expulsion.”

 “Yeah.” Rex turned his head to the side. “That’s the conclusion I came to as well.”

Wolffe rubbed a hand against his jawline, eyes narrowing. It was a dangerous look and combined with his scar and cybernetic eye it’d put more than one Shiny in their place. “Someone else is responsible for this and Kenobi is taking the punishment. Sounds like something a Jedi would do. What I can’t understand is why the Council would agree to it, it must be important.”

“Perhaps by finding the guilty party and forcing them to face the results of their actions, it might help the General to regain her position,” Fox suggested, his posture textbook even as he discussed what was essentially sidestepping the Jedi Council. “If need be, I’ll investigate this matter alone, but I will not let the Republic fall into disorder simply because we aren’t allowed to safeguard it.”

A lot of the vod’e didn’t care for Fox. He was often overly strict and his loyalty had always lain more with the Senate than the Jedi. It made the Troopers who were loyal to their Generals a touch nervous. Wolffe was aware of this, but he also recognized his unyielding loyalty to the Republic and its citizens. He’d lay down his life to uphold the law and you couldn’t fault a man for that.

“I’ll join you,” Wolffe added with a hint of growl. “This was a coward’s move and if General Koon was involved in the decision, then I am accountable for that as well.”

Rex put on his helmet. “We’ll hunt down the culprit, no matter who they are. If the Republic won’t protect its own, we will.”

 

“What's this I hear about you letting vod’e stay in your quarters?”

Obi-Wan’s mouth parted in a small gape before snapping shut. “There is no possible way the rumor spread that fast. I _just_ decided to do it.”

Cody’s strode alongside her, ignoring her suspicious stare. “We have our ways. Now, obviously, it will be the 212th that will be staying with you.”

“Cody, that’s blatant favoritism.” She replied with exasperation and tucked her hands into her billowing robes. “I'm taking in Tup to watch over him as he recovers and Fives refuses to let him out of sight, so he’s joining him. And I made a promise to Romeo-"

"Romeo?" His steps faltered and he glowered at the side of her carefully neutral face. "Who's Romeo?"

“A vod I helped, you’ve seen him once before. He was the injured Trooper that I carried to the Medbay,” Obi-Wan explained. They were headed to the Barracks to select some Troopers to join her on the mission before heading to her own quarters. Cody, as one of the higher ranking Commanders, had to stay behind in case anything was to happen to her. He wasn’t happy about being left behind and insisted that he help choose the men to accompany her. The mission seemed simple but there was a need for caution. The War might not be over for everyone.

“I see,” Cody said in a manner that suggested he’d be researching Romeo _very_ thoroughly. “I don't care if it is favoritism, the rest of the vod’e bunking with you are going to be 212th. Anyone who complains can speak to me.”

After countless debates with her Commander, Obi-Wan knew when to accept defeat. “Very well.”

“Waxer and Boil,” Cody recommended. They were trustworthy and experienced Troopers. “Trapper and Longshot are quiet, they won’t disturb you. How much space do you have?”

“It’s a layout of five rooms,” she explained, feeling guilty for the luxury afforded to her when the vod’e slept in such minimal space. “There is the master bedroom, the kitchen area, a living room and two guest rooms as well as two refreshers, a small one off the master and a larger one in the main area.”

Cody didn’t seem stunned by the opulence, rather he was reassured. “Good. I’ll be joining you then. That’s enough for four men a room and potentially more in the living area.”

“Cody, that is most definitely favoritism,” she admonished before they entered the section of the Barracks where the 212th bunked. The little smile playing about her lips ruined the effect.

“So it is,” he replied coolly before calling out, “Alright, 212th, listen up! I want Wooley, Longshot, Gearshift, Trapper, Boil, Waxer, and Crys, front and center now.”

There was a rush of movement before a row of Troopers stood before them. Obi-Wan stood aside quietly while Cody explained the assignment, “You will be joining the Wolfpack on a trade mission. The planet’s natives need help rebuilding, repairing, and updating their machinery and buildings. Apparently they haven’t had much help since the War took up a lot of the Republic’s time.”

Waxer timidly put up a hand. “Sir, shouldn’t we have more men for a job like this?”

Obi-Wan answered, stepping forward to stand by Cody. “Yes, in principle, that is true. However, despite this being a peace mission, we aren’t sure that we won’t encounter hostiles. That is why we are heading there first with experienced Troopers before calling in more assistance, if needed. The population isn’t terribly large and the planet is mostly jungle, thus the city is probably on the smaller scale. They have promised food and supplies in return for the labor so they are agriculturally based. Does that answer your question, Waxer?”

“Yes, Sir,” he replied, elbowing Boil who was sniggering at him under his breath. “Thank you, General.”

Obi-Wan blinked, remembering her rank, or rather her lack of rank. _Merciful Maker, how many times will I have to explain my failings?_

Cody glanced her way with a grimace, clearly thinking along the same lines.

She wondered if it would be cowardly not to mention her ex-Jedi status before resigning herself to the truth. “The War is over, gentlemen; you don’t have to refer to me as General anymore. In addition, I’ve ceased my occupation as a Jedi so the ranking is no longer applicable.”

Obi-Wan rubbed her forehead as the expected outburst ensued, the Troopers’ panicked confusion feeling sharp and sickly in the Force. Vod’e going about their business in the background stopped and spun towards the group in shock. Trapper dropped his helmet and scrambled after it. Longshot was the only one who stayed in line, eyes wide as he clenched his blaster.

“Alright, that’s enough, you ingrates!” Cody shouted, “The General doesn’t have to explain herself!”

“Thank you, Cody, but I might as well,” she patted him on the shoulder of his armor and he yielded reluctantly. “I was given the choice by the Council and I chose expulsion, rather than another far worse option. I made a mistake and it had consequences. I can assure you that this is the best result there could have been. I am grateful for the Council’s decision.”

The words practically cut her throat as she spoke them but they were bitter with truth. She would rather be the one to suffer than Anakin, as it had always been with them. _I have failed him, as he has failed me._

The Troopers were silent under Cody’s unforgiving glare but she could see and feel the skepticism.

“With all due respect, Sir,” Boil began, wincing but continuing as Cody clenched his fists, “You’re still our General, Jedi or not.”

Obi-Wan collected herself through the Force, needing it’s serenity to steady her roiling emotions as her men gave various forms of agreement. “Thank you, I’m undeserving of such loyalty.” Cody stiffened next to her in offense so she quickly added, “But I am willing to accept it. As for my title, you may call me what you wish, General or Kenobi. Or Obi-Wan.” She smiled at that, studying their mortified expressions.

“I think we’ll stick with General, for now, Sir,” Cody stated and the vod'e straightened in respect.

Her smile grew into a grin that had them brightening in return. “That’s what I thought you’d say.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gee, I wonder why Shaak Ti got called to Coruscant. (Mace is just. so Done with Skywalker he TOLD Yoda it was a bad idea but no, no one ever listens to Mace Windu.)
> 
> They didn't have a tag for Fox/Obi so I had to make one. Take about rare pairs. It doesn't have that little line thingy between Fox's number and his name so idk if it counts. Hm.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait, it's been difficult for me to find time to write. Sigh. That's life for you. 
> 
> Anyways, more interactions and Romeo is back! (And in big, big Trouble)

Obi-Wan stepped out of the cool ship interior into the humid air of the jungle planet and immediately regretted her choice of clothing.

 _Perhaps I should take off a layer_ , she deliberated, considering her six-layer ensemble. There was her chest wrap, her undertunic, her long-sleeved overtunic, her tabard, her robe, and her cloak. _Hmm, yes, this might be a bit much._

She was folding her cloak and, reluctantly, her robe as well when she felt someone approach her from behind.

“You’re blaster, Sir.” Obi-Wan turned to the speaker and stared at the weapon offered to her.

Her face twisted into a polite but firm mien of refusal as she replied, “Commander Wolffe, I can assure you, it is not necessary.” Feeling an argument brewing as the scarred vod narrowed his eyes in return, she continued, “The Force will guide me.”

“Sir, with all due respect, take the kriffing weapon.” Wolffe pressed the blaster into her chest and let go so she was forced to catch it.

A shock of astonishment and glee struck her momentarily speechless. Cody was the only vod who had ever been so abrupt with her. Did this mean that the other vod’e were becoming comfortable enough around her to treat her as more of an equal? She hoped so.

With a bashful curl of her lips, she inclined her head and accepted. “Very well then, Commander Wolffe, I will do as you advise, although I still don’t agree with its usefulness.”

He searched her expression carefully, most likely expecting her to have some latent indignation under her smooth features. When he found nothing except amusement, he huffed and spun away to begin ordering the rest of the Troopers.

She followed him, hiding a chuckle behind her hand. His back straightened in response to the noise and she thought she saw the tips his ears turn red, but it could have just been the heat.

 

Romeo had been minding his own business, eating in the noisy main mess hall with his teammates when an oppressive aura loomed up behind him.

“Romeo, is it?” An even voice asked and he looked up from his tray to find a vod from the 212th smiling down at him.

His spoon clattered to the table and he faltered out, “U-uh, yes, that’s me, Sir.”

He didn’t know if the Trooper actually outranked him but it was better to be safe than sorry. The smile the other vod offered turned pointed as he passed the other the message.

“Commander Cody wants to speak with you; here is the time and location. Don’t be late.”

And like that, he was gone, lost in the crowd of vod’e. 

Romeo held the scrap of flimsi with words scrawled across it in neat, bold lettering.

“Vod, what did you _do_ ,” Rust asked in a horrified whisper from beside him.

“I don’t think the 212th have ever spoken to us before,” See-Through added from the other side, taking a sip of his drink. The trio had been assigned to Coruscant as security guards, so they had never experienced the warfront first hand. That meant they didn’t have the same mentality as a lot of the veteran vod’e did. In a way, they stuck to their own little cliques. “Whatever you did must be pretty bad.”

“I don’t know what I did!” Romeo stated shrilly, gripping his short hair in his hands. He jerked up right, his eyes wide. “Oh, no. I think this may have something to do with General Kenobi.”

At that, even the steady See-Through set down his water to give his brother his full attention, admitting with reluctance, “That is a bad sign, vod. Everyone knows how the 212th get when it comes to their General.”

Rust had been struggling to form words, his brain short-circuiting as it made the connections. “Oh, frip, is this about that time Kenobi carried you to med-bay?!”

Romeo sunk further into his seat. “I… may have volunteered when she decided to allow vod’e to bunk with her due to the space shortage. In front of Captain Rex.”

Rust and See-Through gaped at him in dismayed silence, before the latter pleaded, “ _You didn’t_.”

Nodding miserably, Romeo continued, “And she agreed.”

Shoving aside his tray, Rust propped up his elbows on the table so he could bury his face in his hands. “ _Romeo._ They’re going to _kill_ you.”

“I know,” he agreed, his voice near a sob.

 

Bail Organa sat in the Chancellor’s office, feeling an odd sense of guilt to be resting in the chair of a dead man. He had greatly respected the late Chancellor Palpatine but towards the end of the War, the Nabooian native had begun making more and more unsettling decisions. Decisions that only seemed to prolong the War, not end it. He wasn’t as experienced but Bail was sure he could undo some of the wrongs made by his predecessor, because they were the wrong choices even if made with the best intentions in mind.

Starting with the Jedi, namely Anakin Skywalker, who had been so favored by Palpatine.

After mentally preparing himself, he comm-ed his friend.

“Padme,” he greeted the fuzzy, blue image of the woman. “I wanted to be the first to tell you this, before it spread to the public.” He paused before surging on. “Anakin broke into the prison where Count Dooku was being kept and we believe he has abducted him. We don’t have any information in regards to their current whereabouts and I don’t suppose he’s contacted you, has he?”

At Padme’s wordless shake of her head, he sighed. “I thought not.”

He allowed the Senator to collect herself as she trembled at the news. Pressing a hand to her face, she gasped out in a forcibly steady voice, “Have the Jedi Council been informed?”

“Yes, they are leading the search for him,” Bail admitted. “I apologize but as Chancellor I had to contact them before you in order to deal with the issue as swiftly as possible. They won’t injure one of their own, especially one as emotionally hurt as Anakin has become.”

“I knew that he was having a difficult time but…” Padme clenched her teeth against another stomach-churning bout of sorrow and worry. “I had hoped he would at least speak to me before doing anything rash.”

“I am sorry,” he stated gently. “I would say not to worry, but I know you will anyway. But I'll tell you this, they will find him and bring him back safely.”

She offered up a frail smile. “Thank you, Bail, I can’t say how much I appreciate you telling me this.”

“Think nothing of it, Padme.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've always loved Bail, he's such a sweet honorable man. Leia was so lucky to have such good adoptive parents. 
> 
> And oh snap, I FINALLY wrote some WolffeObi. Geez, about time.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lmao ok so I finally caved in and made a tumblr specifically for all of my stupid SW nonsense so if you're interested in that, just ask and I'll give you the username. It's going to have a lot of random fic ideas and Romeo 'Facts' and basically me just sobbing over fem!Obi-Wan(Obi-MOM), normal Obi-Wan, man-Child Anakin(and his weird crush on Obi), the Clones, the Jedi, AHSOKA, Mango Fett and Boba Tea, etc. 
> 
> Oh man I almost forgot, but Star Wars: The Clone Wars series is coming back! *cue rapturous screeching* yeah I'm kind of highkey hyped over it so that's basically where my energy is at right now. Because WOW I honestly never thought it was going to happen but here we are. It's a good day to be in the SW fandom.

It took Romeo sometime to find the room indicated on the piece of flimsi because it was so far out of the way of the usual pathways. In fact it was further than he’d ever been on Kamino. This was not a reassuring revelation.

Stopping in front of the dented door, he took in the peeling paint and rust stains. It slid open before he even neared it, as if anticipating his presence. With a dry gulp, he walked into the dark room and winced as the door shut behind him, leaving only one source of light in the room.

At a desk sat Commander Cody, a dimly lit lamp at his elbow.

“Trooper, have a seat.”

With reluctant steps, Romeo went to the chair opposite him. He knew better than to try to start a conversation as the Commander continued to browse through a datapad. After a long stretch of nerve-wracking silence, the other spoke, “Romeo, is it? CT-9777. Did fairly well during training but not well enough to be sent into active duty. Stationed as a night guard on Coruscant.  Best friends with batchmates See-Through and Rust. Had a bit of an accident your last day on the job, broken ribs and fractured ankle.”

Commander Cody let the datapad drop to the desk. “And a reputation as a ladies man.”

“That’s a misnomer, Sir,” Romeo started, flustered, “I’m not-”

“Trooper,” Cody cut in, folding his hands in front of him, “To be direct, I called you here to issue a warning. I don’t care who you are or whatever past you deny you have, but if you’re intentions for the General are less than pure or respectful of her current situation then I will have you spaced and your files erased as if you had never existed.”

Romeo paled. “I- I- I-”

The Commander leveled him with an amber stare. “Good. You understand. Now, let’s move on to the next topic at hand. There are two rooms in the General’s quarters in which vod’e will be bunking. As I cannot change her mind as to disallowing your stay, I’ve decided you will bunk in the room with the 212th members, which include Waxer, Boil, and myself. You’ve met Waxer. He gave you my message.”

Romeo wobbled in place, feeling his blood pressure skyrocket. “I don’t feel so good.”

Cody ignored his words and continued, his smile was all teeth. “Don’t worry. Boil is _much_ worse.”

Romeo blinked once and promptly fell sideways off his chair in a dead faint. 

 

The Tir’ep were cautious but welcoming to the arriving Troopers. A flightless avian species of humanoids, their velvety black feathers allowed them to camouflage in the shadows of their jungle home. But in the scattered open fields, the sun was able to hit their plumage and reflect the vibrant metallic colors hidden within.

Obi-Wan overheard some vod’e discussing if it was possible to respectfully ask for a few feathers to take back home to Kamino. She wondered the same as they made their way through the sprawling city beneath the looming trees. The inhabitants had feathers sewn into the hems and collars of their clothing to emphasize their natural plumage. Entire walls of shops and eateries were covered with swirling patterns that flowed like inky black rivers and flickered in the lamplight like the surface of the deepest ocean.

Her initial estimation had been partially correct, the population was small but the ancient city was large, as if there had been more people at some point.

Obi-Wan and a group of Troopers were brought by a royal escort to a domed palace. It was built into the base of the oldest and largest tree and she marveled at the perfect blend of structure and nature. The walkways were made of blue stone and lit up with green glass lanterns. Their escort gave them a cursory lesson on how to address their leader, known as the Matriarch, which Obi-Wan was overwhelmingly grateful for. As a diplomat, these small interactions were often the key to making a deal.

They passed through dozens of jewel-toned rooms before the path eventually led to a long, narrow hall and a throne made of one giant white crystal. A stately Tir’ep female sat atop it and beheld them as they entered.

“We welcome you and yours to our planet,” the Matriarch said, her topaz yellow eyes gauging but movements peaceful. “We know that the War and the relief efforts following its end have taken up much of the Republic’s time and resources, and thus we are grateful for whatever assistance you have to offer.”

Obi-Wan leaned into a neat bow. “You are too polite, your grace. The Republic has done a disservice by ignoring its more distant members. I can only hope that our efforts might be enough to right that wrong.”

A warbling laugh escaped her sharp beak and the Matriarch tittered, “I see your reputation as a negotiator is not unfounded, Master Kenobi.”

“Thank you, but I’m merely a servant of the Republic.” Obi-Wan replied. A cordial smile fixed on her lips as she hid a cringe at the no longer applicable title. “Now, where might we start? I must say, your city is very beautiful and doesn’t seem to need much, if any, in ways of repair.”

“Yes, we are self-sufficient, but our machinery is lacking in updates due to our position so far from the Core worlds, as you mentioned.” A talon tapped against the crystal armrest and she glided her eyes to the group of silent watchful Troopers situated behind Obi-Wan. “Our nearest planetary neighbors, the Kaminoans, were not eager to share their technology without a substantial payment, so when we learned of the Troopers migration to the world of their creation, we spotted an opportunity. I hope that isn’t too vulgar of me to say.”

“Not at all, your grace,” Obi-Wan objected, “It was a sound move. We are in need of food and supplies, which you have in abundance. It’s more than a fair trade.”

The Matriarch’s dark plumage was the most impressive Obi-Wan had seen since arriving, flowing like a crown around her sleek head with no other adornment. Her deep purple dress was modest yet elegant, fitting to her form to allow for quick movement and as she stood with smooth self-assurance, it was apparent that she was more than a diplomat herself.

“I’m glad you agree. I will show you to the warehouses where we keep our surplus so that you might inspect it for yourself and your men may begin with their renovations, as it were.”

An auburn brow rose. “You will guide me yourself? It is an honor.”

“Of course, we do not have much contact with the Jedi,” the Matriarch swept down the steps of the throne to stand before Obi-Wan, “And I’m a curious sort.”

With a chuckle, the woman inclined her head. “I will endeavor not to disappoint, your grace.”

 

“I have spent time meditating on our decision and I think that perhaps we were too hasty in our punishment of Obi-Wan,” Plo Koon started slowly, pausing his search through the ship’s star charts to meet the eyes of the two other Jedi aboard. They were tracking Skywalker but he had virtually disappeared after leaving Coruscant. It was only through their bonds that they had an inkling of where he may have gone but even that connection was growing wane as the distance between them increased. “We may have been overzealous, after all Obi-Wan was not directly responsible for the breaking of the Code.”

“Believe me, expelling Obi-Wan was the last thing I wanted to do. As well as being a fine Jedi, she was the only person who kept Skywalker remotely in line but the Code is not for us to pick and choose from.” Mace Windu rubbed his forehead, grimacing as he typed in the coordinates of another planet for them to scan. It was laborious and vexing to search each possible planet for two concealed signatures but they had no other alternative. Anakin had deactivated the Count’s tracking device and had bought an unlicensed ship. “But I will agree with you. Look what’s happened now that she’s gone. Skywalker, in the wind, with the murderer of the former Chancellor. ...Although I must say, Bail Organa as the new Chancellor will be a much needed breath of fresh air in the Senate and for the Order. He actually respects our opinions.”

Adi Gallia pursed her lips disapprovingly at him from her lotus position on the durasteel floor. She was searching through the Force for the bright light that was Anakin Skywalker, even shielded the man’s immense glow was partially visible. He needed to work on that if he went undercover in the future. “It’s not polite to speak ill of the dead, _Master_ Windu.”

“I’ve had my doubts about the Chancellor and his death has not changed them,” Mace responded, gazing coolly out into the void of space. “Surely you have also felt the lightening of the Force now that he’s passed on? I can’t begin to tell you the amount of shatterpoints that have altered.”

Plo coughed into his fist. Adi picked a piece of lint from her robe.

“Exactly,” Mace said, pointedly sending the ship into hyperspace. “I stand by my assessment.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mace was right. OBVIOUSLY the Chancellor is better off dead. No one wants to admit it though. (The Force does feel light and tbh it's making the Jedi kind of worried because what had it clouded Before????) (("IT WAS PALPATINE YOU FOOLS" Mace screams into the void.))
> 
> As usual Obi-Wan's charming royalty and Cody's dealing with her admirers (and he's not even on the same planet, Obi-Wan what are you doing to this poor man. Let him rest. PLease stop being so attractive and witty.)
> 
> Romeo, of course, Is Having A Bad Time. The usual.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, I have returned. Finals are over and I am ready to GO. I've had this chapter half done for months but I haven't had time to fix it up but Finally it's complete.

The surplus supplies located in the Tir’ep warehouses could feed the entire GAR three times over.

“It’s incredible,” Obi-Wan said and walked down an aisle so long that its end faded away into the gloom. She had to crane her head to glimpse the tops of the shelving racks, each section packed to the brim. A part of her heart, the part that thought perhaps life in the AgriCorps would have served her better, wept at the work it would have taken to produce this much food. “Your grace, no insult implied but your people are few and this is…”

“Excessive?” The Matriarch folded her hands behind her back as she strolled alongside the wandering human. “Indeed, as I’m sure you have deduced, the Tir’ep were much larger in number at one point in our history. We discovered how to harness the land to its fullest and those agricultural skills have been passed down and improved through the centuries. Once our ancestors covered the ground like the stars in the sky. If not for the War of Fortune, our numbers would have become too great even for our goods to sustain.”

“I’m not familiar with this planet’s history, but I did wonder how such exceptional farmers came to hold a warrior’s mentality,” Obi-Wan agreed. “Who was the conflict against?”

“Ourselves,” she replied without shame. “It’s a common tale, exactly what you would think. The struggle for power, the corruption of greed, the division of social classes leading to unrest… All of it nearly led to my peoples’ destruction. Truly, the name is satirical in nature. No one profited from the conflict and it only ended when there were so few left to fight, they simply gave in to peace.”

The Matriarch traced a claw over the writing of a crate that dated back sixty cycles. “One side of the War chose to lower themselves to a coward’s ploy: genetic warfare. They made the opposing side’s females infertile and it was effective. Very effective.” Here her feathers ruffled as in affront. “What they did not take into account was that there was _mixing_ between the two parties and the condition spread. Within a couple of generations, the planet’s population was down to a third of what it had been and then a fifth and so on.”

Obi-Wan considered the city and its people, so friendly and vibrant but cautious and proud. “The faulty gene never fully went away, did it?”

Her mane flowed like tall grass as she shook her head. “No, it did not. Tir’ep mate for life, so choosing a mate is of the utmost importance. A female choses a male and must fight off any other interested party for his attention. Ultimately, it’s his choice but a strong female is almost never denied. Strength is the key to conceiving, the mother’s body must be resilient to hold offspring. You can see how the introduction of defective genetics has become an added limitation. If even the strongest of us cannot conceive, how will our people continue?”

“What will you do then?” The ex-Jedi dusted off her knees from where she had knelt to examine an unfamiliar grain. She met the Tir’ep’s shrewd gaze. “Is there no way to reverse the effects?”

“We have survived this long,” the Matriarch replied vaguely. “Now come, as I’m sure this display has met your approval, I will have the amount we have agreed sent to your transport vessels. There is one more thing I wish to ask of you, if you would allow it. A sparring match. I have never battled against a Jedi and from what I’ve heard, you are fearsome warriors.”

Obi-Wan fell in step with the Matriarch. “Jedi are peacekeepers first and foremost, but I will not deny you a match. It has been a while since I’ve had the opportunity.”

 

Anakin set the ship to auto-pilot and considered moving to the inner quarters to check on his prisoner before deciding against it. The Count was locked securely in the back of the cargo ship he had ‘borrowed’. The older man had been surprisingly compliant about his abduction, although it would in all probability be seen as a prison break. It wasn’t. He’d rather the Sith rot in jail or fall at his ‘saber, but he needed him.

He had hoped to speak to Padme before he left Coruscant but he sensed the Jedi Council closing in and couldn’t risk the chance of confrontation. Didn’t they understand that he was trying to help? If they had just trusted him with the information in the first place he wouldn’t have had to resort to such means!

“I’ve got a few ideas of where Obi-Wan might have gone to. If the Count is to be believed, Obi-Wan’s gone into hiding,” Anakin said, his tone betraying his frustration and gave Artoo the coordinates. “We’ll check each planet, one by one, if we have to.”

Artoo beeped uncertainly, rolling around a bit as the ship stuttered and shook.

“Don’t worry; it’ll be fine, you’ll see. I just wish we could have taken my ship, this thing is a rusty bucket of bolts.” Anakin raked a hand through his hair. “But I couldn’t exactly stuff the Count into my ship with me.”

The astromech revealed his electroshock probe with a curious chirp.

“No, buddy, you can’t zap him,” Anakin laughed, feeling his mood lighten at the droid’s antics. “I would let you but I need him to stay compliant. For now. Do you know what he said? He said that Obi-Wan left the Order. Willingly!”

Artoo let out a questioning hum.

“No, she would have told me if she was planning to leave,” he replied resolutely. “Something’s wrong, I can feel it. If this is another secret mission or- or- _something_ , Obi-Wan could have been forced to lie, like with the Hardeen fiasco. How many times has she lectured me on going it alone?”

He closed his eyes and reached out, searching for a Force signature he knew better than his own. “I’m going to find her, whether she wants me to or not.”

 

“-meo. Hey, Romeo! Wake already, it’s been six hours!” Rust’s whiny voice cut through the thick fog in Romeo’s head and his consciousness rushed back to the land of the living.

“Ugh,” he groaned, reaching up to feel his shoulder. “Why does my right side hurt?”

“You fainted. Your shoulder took the brunt of the fall.” See-Through explained frankly, flipping through his vod’s personal medical history chart. “I didn’t know you registered this many sick days. Just how often do you hurt yourself?”

Romeo took stock of his surroundings, unsurprised to see himself in the medical center again. There were rows of vod’e in various states of healing around him, some with their own visitors while other’s rested. Rust and See-Through stood bedside, sharing matching looks of tired concern.

“…did you say I was out for six hours?” He asked, feeling for his IV and resisting the urge to yank it out. Needles made him queasy but he wasn’t about to risk rupturing a vein over his phobia.

“Six and half hours,” See-Through corrected, “But yes, we’ve been watching you sleep for a while.”

Rust elbowed his too blunt vod. “Don’t say it like, it sounds weird!”

“But we have been?”

Rust shook his head and sighed in defeat. “Anyway, Commander Cody comm-ed us to come pick you up. If it makes you feel any better, he did look a bit apologetic.”

“Emphasis on ‘a bit’”, See-Through added.

Rust turned to him in disgust. “Honestly? I don’t know why I bother with you.”

Romeo couldn’t help but laugh at their squabbling. “That does make me feel a bit better, actually. Thank you both. Maybe this means I still have a shot at getting on Commander Cody’s good side.”

Humming uncertainly, Rust inclined his head. “I guess, but it’s a tough road ahead of you, vod.”

“True, but if anyone can do it, it’d be you.” See-Through gave him an encouraging punch.

“KRIFF, my shoulder!”

“Oops, sorry.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Idk I feel like Anakin is a bit more likable in this Path, maybe because Palpatine is dead and his influence isn't as strong anymore? In the other, he's a bit more betrayed, in this one, he hasn't lost hope completely.


End file.
